A Republican path to relevance

1/22/13 2:00 PM EST

Some quick thoughts on the fall-out from President Obama's inaugural address:

The president has set a trap for Republicans on a wide range of social issues. Whether the subject is gay rights, global warming or immigration, Barack Obama knows that Republican resistance in a national debate will feed into the meme that conservatives are too reactionary, too out of touch and too white.

Republicans should swim past the bait and focus instead on America's debt. Let the Democratic Senate pass bills on divisive social issues if Harry Reid can get them through his chamber. House Republicans can focus instead on balancing the budget, simplifying the tax code and saving Medicare.

That strategy could pay dividends because Obama Democrats fear nothing as much as a debate on spending and entitlements. It is a battle they avoided for years by screaming about tax hikes on the rich. Now that Republicans have caved on that demand, Mr. Obama's team is left with little in their political arsenal other than wedge issues and even more tax increases.

Conservatives should avoid chasing the Democrats' tails on social issues and instead focus on the key legislative challenge of our time – tackling America's crippling debt. The fact that this strategy feeds into conservative's core value of limiting the federal government's reach only makes that pathway more advantageous.

For a party that has lost the popular vote in five of the last six presidential elections, refocusing on first principles right now seems like the right thing to do.